PalmsNorth.com

Howdy!
Let's start a new season. This time I got:

- A. parryi
- A. utahensis kaibabensis
- E. triglochidiatus v mojavensis
- O. basilaris
- O. erinacea ursina
- O. polyacantha aurea
- O. trichophora
- Y. baccata verspertina
- Yuccas from Tim (Y. filata already germinated, others are not there yet)
- Y. glauca
- Y. glauca baileyi

This time I'm using perlite & vermiculite mix. Seeds are soaked in warm water for 24hrs and placed in a plastic box on a radiator.
I'm not sure about opuntias. I've been told that they might be very difficult to germinate. I wish I knew it before placing order Any advice?

M.

Opuntia germinated in three weeks on a warm heating duct with a lid on the pot to keep humidity in.
This was seed from store bought prickly pear.

I've noticed that Opuntia seeds germinate the following season in May through
July if cleaned from the fruit in autumn and placed outside in a container. I
usually fill a container with sandy loam soil and cover the soil with a 1/2"
layer of peastone. Drop the seeds onto the peastone so they fall in the
'cracks'. Place container outside so it is subject to rain/elements. Seeds
germinate at high %. I have loads of seedlings all over my garden bed which is
covered in peastone.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... pt2595.jpg>

I have a question about Y. flaccida x 'reverchonii-thompsoniana' 2009, Tim. Was it really created of flaccida? Do I remember correctly, that you mentioned something about being it recurvifolia hybrid or it was about another plant? I'm not sure if this one sprout or Y. 'constricta x filamentosa' x filata 'Big mama'. Placed too many seeds inside the box at once. Time or rather Tim will tell what exactly it is

Hi Marceli,

In 2009 I hybridized the following with flaccida:

Y. flaccida x 'reverchonii-thompsoniana' and
Y. recurvifolia 'Tenn' x 'reverchonii-thompsoniana'

the recurvifolia 'Tennessee' mother plant was sent to me from Tennessee as a recurvifolia. I've been growing it since 2003 and it never turned into a recurvifolia. I does not form a trunk and the leaves and overall form appear like a form of flaccida. I now call this Yucca a Y. flaccida 'Tenn'.

Regarding your seedling identification. The hybrids with reverchonii-thompsoniana will have blue-er leaves and the leaves will be more rigid and more narrow. These will be easy to ID next season.

Here's a photo of the Y. 'constricta x filamentoa' x filata 'big mama' seedlings in my office.
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 9e03aa.jpg>

Thanks for detailed info, Tim. I'll be waiting patiently then.

Marceli, good luck with the nice stuff you're germinating.

Tim, wow, those seedlings are doing soooooo well


Speaking of seedling growth rate, here's a comparison to show just how slow Sabals are.

Started about the same time this winter, at left is a Sabal minor "McCurtain" seedling...to the right is Nannorrhops arabica "silver", throwing its second leaf.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/8518067623/" title="001 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8104/8518 ... c089_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="001"></a>

Slugs are racehorses compared to Sabals.

Barb

Hi Barb,

start a fire under the Sabal container and it may pick up in speed.

Regular Nannorrhops ritchiana seedling should be called "Twister".

middle of pic:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/8528866380/" title="001 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8251/8528 ... ceb4_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="001"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/8528867952/" title="003 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8244/8528 ... 702e_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="003"></a>

Anybody know why it's twisting?

Barb

nice unusual seedling Barb. I hope the twist continues..........that would be really interesting.

hope the twist continues

I hope so too, Tim.

Will call this one "screwball".

I'm thinking yes, but can't prove it because I did no control group.

You may recall I was wondering a while ago about seeds in a sterile medium.
And whether they could be sped up somehow.
Because outdoors there would be natural soil fungi/bacteria working to break down the seed coat.

Gibberellic acid has been used, but I didn't have any. http://www.plant-hormones.info/gibberellins.htm

So I wondered whether the Humic Acid in my liquid Palm Special Fertilizer could do the same thing.
After all, it's an acid.

A few weeks ago, I dripped 2 or 3 teaspoons of my undiluted fertilizer on top of each seed.
The humic acid is really strong smelling/ammonia-like.
Would knock a buzzard off a fence.

And today... drumroll: 2 Bismarckia nobilis have germinated

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/8554867103/" title="002 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8094/8554 ... 50c2_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="002"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/8554865509/" title="003 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8374/8554 ... 1b55_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="003"></a>

First success with Bizzies in 4 or 5 years of trying, and I'm stoked

Anybody think it might have been the humic acid accelerating seedcoat breakdown?
Or just the law of averages, that eventually I'd germinate Bizzies?

Barb

O. erinacea ursina germinated after 6 days! I'm impressed

Awesome!

6 days, wow.

At least these ones are growing with their roots down

Anybody know what's up with this Bismarckia seedling?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/8563198307/" title="003 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8103/8563 ... b680_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="003"></a>

Barb

Barb with the twin Bizzie trunk!?

nice job with the Bizzie's Barb.......keep us updated on the double seedling.

Yeah, Mutation Barb

mutations are RARE so it may be a great plant!

I recall my two-headed little y.rostrata, died after two years.

Think these anomalies have a very tough time.

Agree that mutations are often so interesting, but rarely survive for long.

When your mutation sets seed in 20 years you'll have to send me some.

I'll mark you on my calendar, Tim.

By then, we'll have forgotten who is who?

Barb

Is this what a double Bizzie trunk turns into?

http://s15.postimage.org/5m1g37zmj/La_P ... 12_106.jpg

Barb

Hi Barb,

that Bizzie will be your palm later this summer....they grow fast.

Oh if only that were true, Tim.

Freshly germinated S. minor McCurtain from Cameron. The second seed is on its way, too!

Well done, marceli.

Three of mine came up too.
Growing slow as slugs

I've got mine sitting in a plant saucer with an inch of water in it.
Hope that's the way to grow Sabals.

Barb

Barb they're indeed soooo slow palms

Great work, marceli!